New garage

 This is the top floor of my new garage/studio space. My view will be over the house to the east and tree tops to the west. The guys have since added the walls and steel roof (minus the end because of wind issues this week.)

 Brad just loves it when I have a camera......

This is the view from the north side, 3 car plus is a big garage and lovely big studio space upstairs! Not sure when I will be moving into it, harvest has started then the snow flies......

Old/new quilt

 I bought this quilt at a garage sale awhile back. I almost hate to say how much I paid for it in fear of quilters who will stop giving gifts to babies because the quilt just gets sold at a sale. Well $.50  later and it was mine......sorry Grandma's, not all of babies things are kept. Well anyway I love it and I'm in the process of taking the ties out, cutting off the binding and putting new borders on it.

 As you can see the work is really nice on the blocks and I like the yellow sashing so it's staying.

Here's a few of my border options, not to happy with any of them............I did pick another fabric but didn't cut it yet so not sure of what I'll decide. Seems like when I start and stop a project I always change it when I go back and look at it again. I will also recycle the back and batting into another baby quilt so the only thing wasted is the binding, oh wait it goes into the fire starter box for this winter. I think it was worth $.50 and some time. (oh and border, back and batting for the new quilt)

few things going on

 Just a few things going on in the last month. I don't carry my camera much right now for some reason so when I finally got around to downloading pic's I forgot what I had on the camera. The top pic is two hats and a scarf I made for my niece for Christmas. I didn't know what size hat to make for a 5yr. old so I made two.......

The Orchard Quilters made table runners at our last meeting. This is Jane showing off her finished top. The meeting was fun and everyone there got their top put together, just a few people missing so they will have to play catch up when they get their kits. I think in October my Mom has a project planned and she's having the meeting at her new place..........tour anyone?

starting gifts

 This afghan has been my take along project for a few months now, in the car,at the bar, and in my chair. The yarn is partly Grandma Allen's, partly Aunt Sis's and some I got from a yard sale. Being a take along project I misplaced a few squares here and there, found a blue one behind my yarn box, a lavender one is in my studio, and I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin found some in his truck. Sara don't like it so it won't be her gift this Christmas. I'm sure a niece will love it.......or a SIL.......

 Sammy had to get in on the action after the first pic was taken, he wouldn't move, sooooo here he is. He thinks all blankets are his, alot of the time he sits on the couch or end of my chair under whatever I'm working on.

 

Good thing my nieces like purple! I have a blue and brown started and a pink one, and fringe left on a white/cream/tan one too. Wow it's been a yarny summer!

Hats Hats Hats and More Hats

The beginning of August I decided to learn some new things, how to make hats being one of them. Since I made Sara model the first 4 I decided to make Kristin model the second 4 (turned into 5) I think I really like to make hats and I have more planned for charity and for gifts. Kristin is keeping the dark purple for herself and Sara requested the same color different style. This bunch will go to Bridges and Beyond in Ohio. I have the box ready to mail along with these squares and a baby afghan everyone in my house thought was ugly. (I like grey and pink together but nobody else does)  I lost the afghan for awhile in my mess but finding it I am excited to finally mail it off.   I have done alot for others lately, it really feels good to know I am helping others with my craft. I am working on scarves for the special Olympics this winter, I took two big bags of clothing to the Sunset store in Ewing, it's run by the Catholic Church. I made up a box of food for a young man who just got his first job so he would have lunches for the week. I started collecting pop tabs off of cans for the elementary school to donate to the Ronald McDonald house, it's a new project for them, they also collect box tops and soup labels. I gave a quilt away last week..........I have more of them to go. I like having crochet projects while watching TV and it's been so hot lately it seems I watch alot of it to stay inside where it's cool, oh and my sleeping habits are out of whack so it's alot of late nights.

time flies

Time flies when your having fun......or so the saying goes. Summer vacation is almost over around here, school starts this next week and the kids are getting ready to head out of here soon. Kristin has been busy helping my mom remodel her building, painting and such. Brad and Sara helped roof the house in town. (Mike and Lisa's) Josh is on his way to South Dakota to visit friends today........busy busy busy! I'm trying to keep busy but the umph is just not there, I'm hoping today is more productive in the creative department for me. I have plenty to do, just no ambition. I have been working on an afghan in the evenings while watching TV, made some more hats(pic's coming soon) and worked up a tablerunner (very simple) and wrote instructions yesterday. I think it needs a few more tweaks before I share it though.
Maybe writing my goals for the day will make me get out of this chair and do them.........hahaha!

Family home

This is sunset from the mountain outside my aunts house in Arizona. I walked up the road past two houses to stand almost at the top of this ridge. I really enjoyed the trip to help my mom and she's right, it is beautiful there.

Tuesday I went to Omaha to pick up Kristin and Josh from the airport. Kristin is home from a 10 week adventure in Waco Tx working and living at MissionWaco. She worked with kids and youth in the summer program, helped out in the office, worked at the second hand store and the biggest part was the summer theater program. I think she is in love with Waco (ok maybe not the town but the people there) I know she touched many lives with her gifts and especially her gift of laughter!

Josh is home from a two week visit to Spokane Washington. He spent some time with friends and they took good care of him for me. He got to see Seattle and the ocean too. He loved it there.

Now everyone is home for the next two weeks, my quiet house is full of laughter and teasing again.

College starts the 19th, high school starts the 17th, there is a trip to Omaha planned, the zoo is on the schedule. I'm sure a bit of school shopping will happen, and tonight a picnic at my MIL's for Kristin's B-day (happy 21st) . Wow...........where has the summer gone?

koda

Puganese.........Pik a pug.........pug a pik...................oh my!

I have a new friend, his name is Koda and he lives with my mom. She got him from the

border rescue in Bisbee Az. He is 7 months old and pug/pekingese mix. I think he's the cutest thing ever and just love him to death! Mom thinks he's a pain in the rear most of the time..........ok she may be right but what a sweetheart he is. He loves everyone and is good company. He does like to run off so if you see her following a dog in the streets of Orchard don't just watch..........help catch him!

learning to make hats

My lovely model is wearing the latest in winter assesories, don't she look thrilled.....ok I had to bribe and threaten just a bit to get her to put the ruffly hat on but after I threatened to nix Netflix she was a wonderful hat model. I am learning to crochet hats from Youtube. It's great fun to sit in front of the computer and crochet along with Thresa. The brown one is supposed to be a large men's beanie. I think a bigger hook is in order for the next one. The second one with the white edge is a mistake........don't try to remember the insturctions while watching TV. I put to many ruffles on the third hat.........oh well.........and the last one I did just perfect so it got a flower. I will send these off to Bridge and Beyond in Ohio. I don't mind practice hats if someone can get some use out of them. My model did put in an order for a dark purple beanie......

Lap quilt

I finished this lap quilt before I left for AZ last week. Thanks to GlenEllen for the already cut raggy blocks she gave me last week I could whip this up and send it off to Kristin at Waco Mission. When this quilt is washed the cut edges will fray and soften up nicely. Perfect size to cuddle up with in a chair. I will send it to Waco and Kristin can give it away to someone who needs a little 'cuddle'.
I really liked sewing this up with the already cut edges, it was fast and with my bum thumb having the edges done already was a treat. I really think a raggy die for the Sizzix might be a fun thing to have.

Arizona

I'm in Az for the week. My mom has lived here for a year and is ready to move a few things home to NE so I flew down to help her. Today we are going sightseeing around Bisbee. I will snap a few pic's with her camera and share them later. I'm not sure I like really hot weather(115 in Phoenix) and 108 in Tucson where we checked out the flea market last night. I did watch a really cool lighting and rain storm on the way here, spotty rain thru the mountains. Ok off we go...

just hangin' out

Summer is here and we're just hangin' out on the deck with the pets. Evenings and sometimes supper outside when it's not raining....I planted garlic in my planter on the deck, so much for flowers...hehehehe! It's been wet here and gardening has not fit in my weird schedule very well so when the planter was still empty the first of June I filled it with garlic that was past it's prime for cooking. I also put winter onions in my flower bed, it was the only space cleared when they needed to go in so in they went.

Sammy thinks he is supposed to sit on my lap if I'm on the deck, then he chases Blackie the cat away from me. (sorry no pic of Blackie...thanks Sammy) He don't mind him in the house but if he finds him on the deck, watch out! The chase begins!

This is Gavin's Point Dam on the Missouri river in Yankton SD. We made a side trip on the way to camp this year to see the water flow from the dam. They say there is more water coming thru this dam than Niagara Falls. The dam road is still open on weekends but this was Monday so we took the long way around to get on the SD side to get this close. I didn't want to be sprayed with river water so this is close enough. The flooding is bad and I think it's only going to get worse for folks down stream. I know some of my family and friends might lose everything and I worry and pray for them. I am busy working on quilts for this tragedy because that's what I do. Oh and I have a great sidekick who keeps me on track (Sara) and my mom will be here for a few months to help me too.

Bathroom redo

Here's my before bathroom, boring white and grey. I redid it 3 years ago when Kristin graduated from High School. Oh my it was in serious need of paint and such. So before Josh graduated this spring I decided to paint and redecorated from pale frogs to bright frogs.

Wow! I thought I could pick paint at the store, well I got mint instead of sage.........oh well, no changing now, I replaced the rugs and shower curtain(that is a giant frog on the curtain if your wondering) and found vintage frog pictures at the same thrift store. I also made the curtain, but didn't measure it when I sewed it so it's a little short for my liking. I'm on the look out for another table cloth in the right colors to remake curtains. I also found a frog can for my plunger. I figured I spent $32.00 dollars on my makeover. Paint being $26.00. I liked the frog knobs on my cabinet so I kept the soap dish and such and just added a few new frogs and brightened up things just a bit. I will be happy with the redo until Brad graduates, who knows what I will do in 2 years to my poor bathroom!

something to show

I got a call from one of the quilt group members needing a quilt to send to a soldier serving in Afghanistan. A local boy the church in Creighton is sending a care package to. Not the fanciest quilt I've put together but it's something from home and the gals were sure happy to send it.

This quilt now lives in our living room. The kids love it, I love it and Sammy the dog really loves it! I thought they would put it away for summer but the flannel feels good when the evenings are cool. This is one that I quilted last January and just got it bound this last month....talk about slow.........

I love UFO's! Sure I know I'm weird and have hording tendencies but other people's UFO's really make me happy. For $.25 I can set this little kit beside my chair and work on it in the evening when I'm watching stupid TV. Heck it might turn into a UFO someone else will think about finishing someday.....sure I love UFO's but that don't mean I actually finish them.

Oh another sideways pic, well anyway Sara and I are working on dresses for Africa. We cut 14, have 2 done and the rest are in process. She did pretty well helping me pick trims and sewing the center backs, she didn't care for adding elastic and didn't even want to try the arm binding part. I can deliver them to the thrift store in Ewing when they are done, I love local drop offs, postage just kills me.

Not much else going on around here, the kids are hanging out and the garden needs a little help......going to mud some plants in today, the rain just keeps coming.........

maybe later

Today I will quilt. Yes I'm going to quilt. YES I'M GOING TO QUILT! (yes I'm yelling at myself) I have lots to do for other people and more to do for myself but I just keep planning more projects.......keep making more kits........keep digging deeper in my studio......oh to have more ambition. Well anyway yesterday Sara and I started cleaning the studio, we got a space cleared out of the main room for her sewing desk and machine. Stuff gathered for sale at the Farmers Market (if I take it all) and lots of things sorted. I found a few treasures also, it's like shopping in my own stash. Sara wants to make a few things so she sorted her projects and will soon be wanting help finishing them up, pillowcases for her room, holiday wall hanging with removable things for each month, denim purse from a skirt for her friend(ok I've had the skirt for over two years) and she has sock monkey fabric she's dying to use. I think maybe later I'll show up here with pic's.

Some days

Some days things just don't go like they should, cat on my quilt frame? Shouldn't happen but it does. Rain Memorial weekend? Same feeling. Tired to the bone from 3 days at work and two long nights at the bar. Ditto. I know today will be the day I do housework and sleep, the weather is dull and dreary and my house is getting deep because I have not been home to crack the whip with these teenagers that live here. I made a trip to Omaha last Monday to deliver Mom and Kristin, a trip to Norfolk for eye appointments, made jam on Wends day and worked Thursday, Friday and Saturday. (got lots of sewing done and a few good sales too!) I also took the night shifts at the bar to help out with the weekend alumni traffic. Friday was so busy I had to have a customer call the boss to come help me...wow! Last night the last hour was a big rush after the class parties. Tonight will be interesting as we're catering the alumni dance and having the bar open. I did get kind of lucky and don't have to be there till 8. I like my part time jobs but sometimes I think all the shifts shouldn't happen on the same weekend, just like that cat on my quilt frame.

Uncle Danny

My Uncle Danny passed away on Easter, I was there in the hospital with him for the last two days of his life. My Mom was in Az and my Aunt Donna in Kansas City so Kristin drove me down to Co. Bluffs when I got the news he was on Comfort Care Friday night. I chased all the creepiest friends away when I arrived and only his true friends would show their faces to his family and stop in to check on him with us there. My Aunt and Uncle John along with Adam made it up Saturday and we kept each other company until Sunday when I had to leave about noon. Kristin had to go back to college and I had to work. John and Adam left about the same time to care for animals and Adam had a job interview the next day. My Aunt Donna stayed with him until the end, I'm glad she was there. I know he was waiting for us all to leave before he could let go peacefully. The 14th we had a small service at the church next to my grandma's house with family and the 6 of us (mom, me, Sara, John, Donna and Adam) went to the cemetery. My Aunt wrote a poem for Danny, I find it very fitting of his life and want to share it here.

• 
  
  Daniel Nile Wilson


• 
  
  Born November 20th, 1954


• 
  
  Died April 24th 2011


• 
  
  What was he looking for? By Donna Brooks


• 
  


• 
  
  What was he looking for?


• 
  


• 
  
  No one ever knew


• 
  
  Even as a child,


• 
  
  What was he looking for?


• 
  
  He was a little wild.


• 
  


• 
  
  Trouble seemed to find him,


• 
  
  Even when he hid,


• 
  
  What was he looking for?


• 
  
  When trouble he would bid.


• 
  


• 
  
  The rules he did not follow,


• 
  
  He lived life his way


• 
  
  What was he looking for?


• 
  
  Never did he say.


• 
  


• 
  
  Now the end has come,


• 
  
  Free from all life's strife


• 
  
  What was he looking for?


• 
  
  Throughout his troubled life.
  

Mission Waco

Kristin will be spending 10 weeks at Mission Waco in Waco TX. She is an intern with the theater dept. (or anything else they need). missionwaco.org I checked out the web site today, they are really busy down there! I noticed there are a lot of programs for adults as well as a summer theater program for kids. I think I will donate a few items to the Clothesline, its a resale shop who's sales go to a program for rehab. I also have some craft items that will be put in the box along with the hats I make. I will be sending Kristin a care package or two so adding a few extras won't hurt. I would love to send money but the plane ticket and new clothes for the kid kind of ate up the cash.....so I will do what I can along with lots of prayers!

Challenge

I issued a challenge to my fellow quilt group members. I gave them each a jacket front and back panel and told them to use it. It was blues with a flower pot on it and jacket shaped. It also had the instructions printed on the fabric around the panel. The top pic is mine, I used the blues in my pink and blue string quilt (I'm channeling my inner 80's loving quilter). I decided to use up a bunch of mauve's and blues, not sure how big it will be when totally done, hopefully big enough for my bed.

Here's a pic with every ones challenge, Flicsha made the bags, Luanne made the small quilt, Linda made the RWB string blocks and Anita made the table runner.

Close up of Luanne's small quilt, you can really see what the panel looked like from this pic.

Here's mom's bags, she even used the instructions in the bags.......and she used everything! Just kept making things with the scraps!

Anita's table runner is on the left and more of Linda's blocks. We were missing a few members so it will be fun to see how they used them next month.

Kristin's play

OK I thought I had this sideways pic thing fixed..........oh well turn your head and look at them. Kristin was costume designer for her friend Andrew's play, The Bird Boy. He wrote and directed it both. Her friend Isaiah was property designer and the crew made over 2000 paper cranes for the show. I was very impressed with the show and I think Andrew has a future in writing 'Lifetime' movies. (oh and he's a fantastic actor too)

Kristin said her design was mostly a scavenger hunt as the play was set in modern Seattle. Sara and I really enjoyed the production and our time spent with Kristin too.

Look...I'm one of those people who take pic's of everything! (that's what Kristin says) well I blinded the audience before the show with the flash on the camera. It amazes me how much my girls look alike, they always have. In baby pic's sometimes I have to look at the background instead of the girl to tell who the pic is of, especially when Sara is wearing Kristin's hand me downs. It's funny but all Kristin's college friends know when her family shows up for a show because of Sara. They are hollering for Kristin even before we can ask for her.

graduation

My kids and a couple friends at Josh's party.

Here we are, the whole family. I'm really proud of my kids, they are growing up to be extraordinary people. Josh graduated 3rd in his class and will be attending Northwestern next year majoring in history and writing. He also has a job for the summer. Kristin will be a missionary in Waco TX at an inner city youth mission for 10 weeks. Brad has a new summer job starting when he gets out of school and Sara is doing small jobs also, babysitting, mowing, helping her mom.......oh and drivers ed!

Grad presents

Kristin made presents for her friends graduating from college this spring. She put these quilts together at Christmas time and I quilted the bottom 3 in January. The top quilt I finished for her on Mother's day and she bound it before she went back to school that evening.

The middle two quilts are made from recycled sheets. I love vintage sheets! Reminds me of summer nights when I was a kid, sleeping with the windows open, to hot for even a sheet to cover up with but by morning being cold and looking for that sheet. The sheets now days just don't have the same feeling, oh don't get me wrong, I love my high thread count Egyptian cotton but small print cotton from the 60's are to die for and the white heavy cotton I got from my grandma..........oh are they nice!

I think I'm going to have to have one similar to this green beauty, big enough for a king size bed to remind me of summer nights. I have a pretty good stash of sheets now to just get busy sewing! I am also on the look out for a king size set for my bed but they are hard to find that big in a set, guess I'll just keep looking at thrift stores and junk shops. (I know they made them, my Mom had a king size bed in the 70's)

Kristin called me in a panic on Monday, the green was on the white after washing. I told her to go buy a fabric dye magnet and maybe a bleach pen. She found a Shout fabric dye sheet on a table in her hallway where every one puts things they don't want or need before moving out of the dorms. It worked and saved her gift quilt. I'm happy to report the friends loved their quilts and Kristin was happy to give them something she made.

May has been a busy month, my Mom has been here two weeks, graduation for Josh and Sara, work, cleaning, parties and my uncle died on Easter. I have pic's to share of most events so just be patient with me and I'll get started soon!